There is comfort
In the uncomfortable
There is newness
Sometimes our comfort
Being a thing
Of old masquerades
It brings acceptance
And our complacency
It begins to
Grind which we
Don’t hear having
Gotten used to
The hum but
Once we switch
Off the machine
And step free
The discomfort of
Silence almost immediately
Brings those deep
Sighs of hope
In this year
I don’t want
To be anything
To anyone else
I want to
Be just me
For and by
Myself and all
Of the others
Well they can
And should and
Probably will be
Themselves for themselves
And then maybe
And just maybe
They will see
In me what
They have not
And I in
Turn will see
Hopefully that too
Here is my
New Year’s resolution
I promise myself
I will have
Peace love affection
Respect kindness compassion
Wit sarcasm frivolity
With whomever I
Ever do encounter
And that will
Bring us joy
And will bring
Us forever closer
And never apart
I decided to leave
Much of what remained
Of my past in
2022 I just didn’t
Or was unwilling to
You know drag those
Bags ahead with me
Because here’s the thing
Those who gave me
The bags which I
Continue to carry on
Aren’t here to help
My back is sore
Have you ever thought
That maybe just maybe
You were placed in
Someone else’s path not
To find your happiness
But for them to
Find theirs not in
You but past you
What if we stopped
Looking for what we
Want and rather be
What the other needs
So that they can
Be their best self
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 